Center for Career and Professional Development staffers remain available to students during distance learning thanks to their virtual operations. The staffers pictured in a recent meeting are Assistant Director of Experiential Opportunities Richard Sylvester (clockwise from top left), Assistant Director Jacqueline Srodes, Interim Associate Director Rachel B. Wood and Interim Director Valerie Miller.
Students concerned about facing the current job market can rest assured that a plan for virtual operations will keep Kalamazoo College’s Center for Career and Professional Development open for business this spring. Those virtual operations, though, will be different from business as usual, addressing the unique challenges of seeking a job amidst a global pandemic.
“We know that most of our students are not going to be thinking about career development at this time,” Interim Director Valerie Miller said. “There are too many other issues that they are facing. How can we ask them to care about updating their résumé or practicing interview skills with all that is on their minds?”
Those issues are why the CCPD will take a Design Thinking approach to career planning this term. Design Thinking, created by Stanford University’s Plattner Institute of Design, focuses on addressing “wicked problems,” which are problems that might seem impossible to solve. Those problems might include, for example, what arises with a search during a global pandemic.
“Professors at Stanford have been offering a course called Designing Your Life for years, and recently published a book with the same title that includes many of the tools and concepts from their course,” Miller said. “We are using this book and other resources to share useful information around Design Thinking and career planning with students. This is primarily a communication strategy that seeks to provide support as well as relevant content and resources.”
With that strategy, Interim Associate Director Rachel B. Wood will send students an email framing what they can expect from the upcoming week. Plus, she will post content to the department’s Facebook and Instagram accounts each day with the themes of Monday Motivation, Tuesday Tips and Tools, Wednesday Watch and Listen, Thursday To-Dos and Friday Focus: Design Thinking.
If those messages feel comfortable and familiar to students, it might be because they promote CCPD services that continue to provide excellent employment outcomes. Those services include:
Career coaching. Staff provide students with guidance regarding their majors, grad school opportunities and career assessments. Appointments may be scheduled through the online tool Handshake.
Virtual events and workshops. Students will connect with alumni and network through Wisr, a web platform designed for higher-education institutions to promote digital communities. Speaker events, including the annual Confident at Commencement series, and a collection of new events, including virtual recruiting events, will be available.
Advice from alumni and local leaders. This term, that will come through a new podcast called Career-ish, hosted by Assistant Director of Experiential Opportunities Richard Sylvester, and recorded content and presentations from staff and alumni.
“Our students are facing many wicked problems as they move forward in the world, and we thought it would be useful to us and to them to provide a framework they can use to tackle these problems,” Miller said.
That framework is available to students simply by reaching out this term. Contact the CCPD through email at career@kzoo.edu.
A fortunate pairing of four people with Kalamazoo College ties provided one student with a valuable internship experience last summer in Washington, D.C.
Marie Kohrman ’22 had her picture taken with a re-enactor playing John Hancock last summer at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., where she had an internship.
Marie Kohrman ’22 was an intern at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), a home for more than 20 billion documents related to the federal government throughout U.S. history. There, she worked for K alumna Christiana Hanson ’06, a volunteer coordinator, and stayed with Genna (Beaudoin) Gent ’94 and Chad Gent ’92 from June through August.
Kohrman, who majors in English with a concentration in American studies, was one of 15 interns selected from 95 applicants to work at NARA after her love of museums and history and a desire to find constructive opportunities over the summer converged.
“My parents had been talking to me for a while about finding an internship, and I’m a person who needs to stay busy,” Kohrman said of her decision to apply. Students apply for internships through Handshake, a platform available through the Center for Career and Professional Development. “I had no idea my boss would be a K alum.”
Marie Kohrman ’22 (third from left in front) poses for a picture with her fellow interns at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.
Hanson said NARA tries not to select interns based on where they attend college, although she was happy to meet a student from her alma mater and was delighted with Kohrman’s work.
“One of the things about K, is that it offers a very strong liberal arts education,” Hanson said. “At the National Archives, we have records that show science, history, civics — no one thing happens in isolation. Because (Kohrman) is a student of the liberal arts, we knew that this would be something she would understand.”
NARA typically hires interns to serve its Washington, D.C., departments ranging from presidential libraries to special events. Kohrman worked with other education and exhibits interns, who are interested in fields related to public education, museum studies, public policy, history, political science and communication.
“I really like the fact that working at a museum, you have a responsibility for how people interpret art and history,” Kohrman said. “Museums are focused on facts. It’s important to portray them in an unbiased way.”
In creating a hands-on environment for its interns, NARA tasked Kohrman with creating a game that would help visitors understand the Legislative Branch of the federal government. She created a flow chart that broke down the Legislative Branch, describing the requirements House of Representatives and Senate candidates need to follow to run for office and be elected. She paired that with Constitutional excerpts and documents from U.S. history to provide specific examples of how Congress functions. For example, Kohrman used:
A copy of a 1941 letter from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Congress regarding Japan to highlight Congress’s ability to declare war.
A political cartoon about taxes from Clifford Kennedy Berryman, a Pulitzer Prize winner, to show Congress’s power to collect taxes.
A picture of President Reagan and then-Supreme Court candidate Sandra Day O’Connor, along with a nomination letter Reagan penned to the Senate, reflecting the Senate’s ability to confirm justices.
Kohrman also assisted NARA with its biggest event of the year, a Fourth of July celebration that welcomed thousands of visitors from all over the world with re-enactors portraying founding fathers, a fife-and-drum corps and activities related to the time of the Revolutionary War. It was an event that suited Kohrman’s strengths well, Hanson said.
“Marie is a very strong personality and I mean that in the best of ways,” Hanson said. “She’s bubbly with the public, she worked very well with school groups and she had great conversations with adults. We’re subject to the Hatch Act, so we want to make sure anyone, regardless of any political affiliation, would feel comfortable here. We have to be neutral and Marie was very thoughtful about how she did that.”
Kohrman noted she accepted the internship earlier than most students would, considering she had barely finished her first year at K and was just 19 when she left for Washington, D.C. Regardless, she’s glad she followed her heart and pursued it because it cemented her desire to pursue a museum career.
“If you want it, go for it,” said Kohrman, regarding the advice she’d give her peers who are interested in internships. “If you don’t get the first one you apply for, find another one. Don’t be afraid and think you won’t get it. I think internships are important because they can help students learn whether a given field is truly for them.”
Zhang Financial, one of the nation’s top fee-only financial advisory firms, will help Kalamazoo College support key initiatives in its strategic plan, Advancing Kalamazoo College: A Strategic Vision for 2023. Their generous contribution will help to better position K students for their first jobs after graduation.
Charles Zhang serves as managing partner and CEO, and Lynn Chen-Zhang is the COO and chief compliance officer at Zhang Financial.
Zhang Financial, based in Portage, Michigan, is establishing the Zhang Financial Student Professional Development Fund, a permanent endowment that will underwrite campus-based programs to enhance student experiences and prioritize their professional development.
Some of those programs, coordinated through the Center for Career and Professional Development, include:
K’s annual Career Summit, which offers two days of interactive breakout sessions, themed panel discussions and networking opportunities with distinguished alumni and other professionals. This annual event, traditionally held in April, provides students of all majors with priceless information about how to position themselves for success in an unpredictable global job market.
Passions to Professions, which allows small groups of interested students to connect with local and visiting professionals over a casual meal to ask career-related questions.
Confident at Commencement, a weekly lunch series that delivers relevant content, from saving and investing to taxes and salary negotiations. This event caters to seniors as they prepare for Life after K.
Sophomore Retreats, which helps students in their second year at K develop public speaking and networking skills during a weekend with alumni and community professionals.
Collectively, these and other programs reinforce K’s strategic vision and its mission of preparing graduates to better understand, live successfully within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world.
“We are grateful to Zhang Financial for this contribution, which will help Kalamazoo College continue to provide students with amazing opportunities to develop their skills, experiences and future careers,” Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez said. “We are excited and honored by their trust and confidence in our efforts to provide a broad-based education through the liberal arts and sciences.”
Charles Zhang serves as managing partner and CEO, and Lynn Chen-Zhang is the COO and chief compliance officer at Zhang Financial.
“The professional landscape is dynamic—companies are constantly searching for candidates who contribute new skills, and who can adapt to an evolving workplace,” they said. “We are excited for the competitive advantage that The Zhang Financial Student Professional Development Fund will offer Kalamazoo College students.”
A distinguished group of Kalamazoo College alumni will provide students with two days of practical workforce preparation April 12 and 13 during Career Summit 2019. All students are welcome and encouraged to attend this special event targeting positive employment outcomes through the Center for Career and Professional Development.
Shelby Hopper ’18 introduces ClozeLoop Managing Director Hilmon Sorey (from left), Loparex Global Vice President for Research and Development Ed Hortelano ’83, retired Google Superintendent of Well-Being Bill Duane ’94 and Depot Global Inc. Co-Founder and Executive Vice President Lindsey Haswell during Career Summit 2018. Career Summit 2019 is scheduled for April 12 and 13 at the Hicks Student Center.
Through interactive break-out sessions, themed panel discussions and networking opportunities, students of all majors will gain priceless information about the global job market. All Career Summit events will be at the Hicks Student Center on campus to ensure as many students as possible may participate.
The scheduled speakers for Career Summit 2019 are:
Students may register for Career Summit 2019 through Handshake. Contact Kristy Carlson at kristy.carlson@kzoo.edu or 269.337.7183 for more information or assistance in registering.
As global cyber threats target U.S. businesses and the government, organizations such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace respond, and so will Natalie Thompson ’19.
Natalie Thompson ’19 will help the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace respond to global cyber threats.
Thompson, a math and political science double major from West Olive, Michigan, is the first Kalamazoo College student to earn a James C. Gaither Junior Fellowship. Each year, Carnegie chooses about a dozen graduating seniors or recent grads from a pool of several hundred nominees to serve as junior fellows. The junior fellows work with Carnegie’s senior scholars for one year in Washington, D.C., to conduct research for books, co-author journal articles and policy papers, participate in meetings with high-level officials, contribute to congressional testimony and organize briefings attended by scholars, journalists and government officials.
An ‘Unparalleled Opportunity’
Beginning Aug. 1, Thompson will work in Carnegie’s Cyber Policy Initiative, run through its Technology and International Affairs Program, to promote technology while reducing or eliminating cyber threats that could harm the country’s financial stability, data and transaction integrity, and communication chains.
Students applying for the fellowship are first nominated by their institution and prepare statements of interest and issue-specific essays for their program of interest. Carnegie selects about three or four students to interview for each position and must demonstrate some knowledge of and passion for their focus topic. Plus, according to its website, Carnegie selects only the top 5 percent of its applicants each year for junior fellowships with students.
“I think it’s an unparalleled opportunity,” said Thompson, who added this is just the second year K has been a nominating institution for the fellowship. “Think tanks and nonprofits in Washington, D.C., like Carnegie often prefer employees with several years of work experience or a master’s degree in their field in research positions like these. I hope to take my undergraduate degree and the great writing and research skills I learned at K and transfer them into policy expertise. It’s difficult to describe how exciting it is for me and I hope it’s exciting for the College.”
Before they graduate from K, students including Thompson complete a senior individualized project (SIP), serving as a capstone to their educations in the liberal arts and sciences. Anne Dueweke, K’s director of grants, fellowships and research, who serves as the College’s nominating official for the fellowship, said Thompson’s SIP, about media technologies and their impact on public deliberation, probably factored into Carnegie’s decision to select her.
“I think her SIP certainly had something to do with it along with other experiences in which she has been able to develop her research skills,” Dueweke said. “But Natalie really stands out in her intellectual curiosity. She is incredibly well read and engaged in the topic of cybersecurity, and on many related topics as well. She is also a very sophisticated thinker and writer. The Gaither Fellowship is a perfect fit for her.”
Global Cyber Threats on the Rise
As an example of the cyber threats she might address as a fellow, Thompson described “deepfakes.” Deepfakes are an artificial intelligence-based technology that produce or alter video or audio to convincingly present something that didn’t occur. Video and audio manipulation techniques are not new, but technological advances have made the manipulations more convincing. Usually this means criminals or hackers fool the public into believing a famous influencer, business executive or politician said something they never did. She could explore what such a tactic means for government intelligence connections, diplomatic relations and state-to-state hacking.
State-to-state hacking concerns also have escalated in recent weeks because of China’s government and how it allegedly spies on U.S. businesses. National Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Department officials brought to light some of those issues this month at a cybersecurity conference, as reported through the Washington Post.
As a result, “what policies will we need to consider?” Thompson asked. “Could there be diplomatic, legal or military responses? Right now, we don’t have clear policy standards or regulations for what to do in these situations.”
Thompson said she’s comfortable in Washington, D.C., as she was among K’s first students to study away there through an internship with Whitmer & Worrall, a bipartisan government relations and strategic consulting firm. However, several K faculty and staff members were instrumental in encouraging her to seek the fellowship. Those influencers included Dueweke, Luce Professor of Complex Systems Studies Peter Erdi, and Kalamazoo College’s Political Science Department.
“Dr. [Jennifer] Einsphar especially has been a tireless mentor for me during my time at K,” said Thompson of the associate professor of political science. “We’ve had so many conversations. She’s an incredible scholar and I’ve loved her courses. Dr. Erdi has also been a tireless advocate for me. He encouraged me to combine hard science and social science, and helped me think from an interdisciplinary perspective.”
Learn more about the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the James C. Gaither Junior Fellowship through the organization’s website.
Thirty students known for their invaluable contributions to the Kalamazoo College community were honored Friday at the 15th annual Senior Leadership Recognition Awards.
Thirty students known for their invaluable contributions to the Kalamazoo College community were honored Friday at the 15th annual Senior Leadership Recognition Awards. They were (top row, from left) Ian McKnight, Max Aulbach, Alexander Cadigan and Allen Vinson; (second row, from left), Emma Eisenbeis, Nicholas Ludka, Ian Freshwater, Sabrina Leddy, Zach Morales and Jacob Bonifacio; (third row, from left) Marco Ponce, Lauren Arquette, Sarah George, Hannah Meyers and Jordan Wiley; (fourth row, from left) Anthony Diep Rosas, Regina Shaw, Shivani Rana and Qynce Chumley; and (bottom row, from left) Sharat Kamath, Cydney Martell, Hayleigh Alamo, Nkatha Mwenda, Cecilia Ringo and Molly Brueger. Winners not pictured include Tapiwa Chikungwa, Joy Lim, Amanda Moss, Sharif Shaker and JayLashay Young.
The selection committee, consisting of Associate Deans of Students Karen Joshua-Wathel and Dana Jansma, asked faculty and staff through a letter in December to nominate students, while noting an exemplary nominee isn’t necessarily the “team captain” or “organization president.”
“The individual may be the person who always seems to have a positive attitude, is consistently involved in helping a group move forward, serves as a continual role model to other students, and who shows dedication, even in times of adversity,” the letter said.
The Senior Leadership Recognition Award winners represent talented athletes, outstanding academic performers, members of the President’s Student Ambassadors and student-organization standouts.
Here are the honorees along with brief statements from their nominators:
Hayleigh Alamo, nominated by Softball Coach Kelli Duimstra:
“Hayleigh is a third-year softball team captain, which speaks to her natural leadership ability and how much her teammates look up to her. … She is the person who connects every person on our team.”
Lauren Arquette, nominated by Assistant Professor of Political Science Justin Berry:
“Lauren is one of the strongest students with whom I’ve had the opportunity to work.”
Max Aulbach, nominated by Assistant Professor of Political Science Justin Berry:
“Max is a very strong and committed student. … The regularity and quality of his contributions to classroom discussions are unmatched.”
Jacob Bonifacio, nominated by Men’s Lacrosse Coach Vince Redko:
“More than any other player, I can rely on Jake to do the right thing and encourage others to be their best.”
Molly Brueger, nominated by Women’s Soccer Coach Bryan Goyings and Wen Chao Chen Associate Professor of East Asian Social Sciences Dennis Frost:
“Molly is an exceptional individual excelling in the classroom, on the soccer field and internationally. She is diligent, generous, intelligent, selfless and kind.”
Alexander Cadigan, nominated by Computer Science Chair Alyce Brady, Computer Science Associate Professor Pam Cutter and Men’s Tennis Coach Mark Riley:
“K is a better place because of Alex’s leadership as a [resident assistant], a [teaching assistant] in computer science, and as a mentor.”
Tapiwa Chikungwa, nominated by Residential Life Area Coordinator Erika Perry, and Alison Geist, Teresa Denton, Moises Hernandez and Emily Kowey of the Center for Civic Engagement:
“As a third-year [resident assistant], Tapiwa’s contributions have been invaluable. … Her authentic servant leadership has been an incredible asset. … As a Civic Engagement Scholar, she brings deeply informed and compassionate perspectives.”
“The scope of Qynce’s mentoring, leadership and initiative is notable, … a distinct example of living an authentic, undaunted existence.”
Anthony Diep Rosas, nominated by Dow Distinguished Professor in the Natural Sciences Jan Tobochnik (physics) and Residential Life Area Coordinator Ashley Knapp:
“He uses his position to advocate for those without a voice.”
“Emma’s combination of quiet confidence and a genuine desire to help others has enabled her to effectively lead a diverse group of peers as president of [the Kalamazoo College Council of Student Representatives].”
Ian Freshwater, nominated by Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz:
“Ian has done fantastic work serving on student government since his first year and has taken on key roles throughout.”
Sarah George, nominated by Women’s Soccer Coach Bryan Goyings:
“Sarah is an extraordinary individual excelling at K in the classroom, on the soccer field and in the community.”
Sharat Kamath, nominated by Chief Information Officer Greg Diment, Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal, and Alison Geist, Teresa Denton, Moises Hernandez and Emily Kowey of the Center for Civic Engagement:
“He works respectfully to build a more accepting, inclusive community.”
Sabrina Leddy, nominated by Chemistry Professor Regina Stevens-Truss:
“Sabrina has been a leader/mentor of the [American Chemical Society] student group since her sophomore year.”
Joy Lim, nominated by Study Abroad Adviser Alayna Lewis:
“Joy stands out as a leader, from the roles she has held to the manner in which she conducts herself and encourages others.”
Nicholas Ludka, nominated by Men’s Golf Coach Mitch Wilson:
“Nick is one of the top ambassadors for K and the [Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) ]. … He’s a two-time co-captain of the golf team and will finish his career as one of the top three Hornet golfers of all time.”
Cydney Martell, nominated by Interim Provost Laura Furge:
“A highly gifted scientist. … Simply the best combination possible of compassion, empathy, kindness, ability and intelligence.”
Ian McKnight, nominated by Assistant Professor of Political Science Justin Berry, Residential Life Area Coordinator Erika Perry, Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“What makes Ian stand out beyond being a strong student is the degree to which he commits not only to his personal growth, but also the broader community.”
Hannah Meyers, nominated by Women’s Lacrosse Coach Jessica Smith:
“Hannah is a two-year captain of the lacrosse team and a fantastic leader…she is the first player to offer assistance to younger players on and off the field.”
Zachary Morales, nominated by Men’s Lacrosse Coach Vince Redko:
“He has been instrumental in launching lacrosse at the College and he was our first All-MIAA selection in program history.”
Amanda Moss, nominated by L. Lee Stryker Associate Professor of Business Management Amy MacMillan, Women’s Basketball Coach Katie Miller and Women’s Lacrosse Coach Jessica Smith:
“Amanda is a dedicated leader in the classroom, on the basketball court, on the lacrosse field, and in the community. … She co-founded Sports Business Club. … She is a tenacious go-getter who sets an example of excellence for other students.”
Nkatha Mwenda, nominated by Biology Assistant Professor Anne Engh and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“She embodies the sort of inclusive, cooperative leadership that we need in the world.”
Marco Ponce, nominated by Biology Professor Ann Fraser:
“Marco demonstrates commitment, fortitude and perseverance in all that he does. … He is gifted and the longest serving research assistant I had over my 16 years at the College.”
Shivani Rana, nominated by Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz:
“Shivani always comes to the table with a positive disposition, a genuine care for others, and a strong desire to make things better.”
“While always acting with integrity, she found ways to encourage others to expand their thinking and learn more about themselves.”
Sharif Shaker, nominated by Computer Science Chair Alyce Brady, Computer Science Associate Professor Pam Cutter, Swimming and Diving Coach Jay Daniels and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“Sharif sets an example of dedicated and self-motivated learning … He is bright and is among the best writers we’ve ever seen.”
“Regina is a professional, thoughtful student leader and our entire career development team appreciates her positive demeanor, facilitation skills, and willingness to represent the department.”
Allen Vinson, nominated by Men’s Tennis Coach Mark Riley:
“Allen pushes his teammates to do the little things to be outstanding student athletes.”
Jordan Wiley, nominated by Baseball Coach Michael Ott and Kalamazoo College Fund Associate Director Sandy Dugal:
“Jordan had flourished and become one of our top academic, athletic and leadership examples we have in the baseball program. … As a President’s Student Ambassador, he is gracious and possesses an outstanding attitude.”
JayLashay Young, nominated by Assistant Dean of Students Brian Dietz:
“Jay is the epitome of the type of enlightened leaders we hope all K graduates become. … She created the Kalamazoo Dance Team and is a leader in student activities. … She is a unique combination of dedication, perseverance and optimism.”
Sixteen Kalamazoo College students took advantage of a winter break day to network with professionals — including several K graduates — in the beer-making facilities at Bell’s Brewery, named the top-ranked brewery in America in 2018 by the American Homebrewer’s Association.
Kalamazoo College students who participated in K to Bell’s, the latest K-Trek offered through the Center for Career and Professional Development, peered inside a kettle during a Bell’s Brewery tour.
CCPD Assistant Director Rachel Wood helped plan the event and attended, noting the students asked a panel of Bell’s Brewery representatives, including founder and Kalamazoo College alumnus Larry Bell ’80, engaging questions about the beer industry and the process of starting a business.
In their responses, panelists gave advice about what they look for in prospective employees, noting the importance of an applicant seeking a work-culture fit rather than just an appealing job description. For example, “at Bell’s, you kind of need to appreciate beer, but chances are you will be working in something other than brewing,” Wood said. Regardless of the role, “it’s important to find a place to work where you can show up and it’s not just work.”
Bell’s founder Larry Bell talks with students about his business and the beer industry during the latest K-Trek, K to Bell’s.
Aside from the founder, the Bell’s Brewery panelists included five K alumni from a variety of majors who graduated between 1990 and 2014. All of them noted how well K prepared them for the work force.
“The students hear similar advice from [CCPD] career coaches, but it’s always extremely helpful for them to hear it from people in the field,” Wood said.
Bell himself discussed having multiple lifelong interests, all of which were nurtured at K through the liberal arts and sciences, including theater.
Bell noted that “he played the character Oberon in a sixth-grade production of Midsummer Night’s Dream, and that inspired him to later name a beer Oberon,” Wood said. In Bell, “the students saw someone who is living a liberal arts life.”
Kalamazoo College students participated in a Bell’s Brewery tour during the latest K-Trek, K to Bell’s, offered through the Center for Career and Professional Development.
After an hour-long lunch, the K students split into smaller groups where they embarked on brewery tours, allowing them to witness the full process of brewing beer.
“It was nice seeing the full process because anybody attending could’ve had any level of knowledge of beer making going in,” Wood said. “We sampled three different types of barley to see how it could impact flavor, and there were students taking video” to retain what they learned.
According to the Bell’s Brewery website, Bell founded the company on Sept. 19, 1985, when he sold his first commercial beer after brewing it in a 15-gallon soup pot. Bell’s has had several milestones since, including selling outside Michigan for the first time in 1990, opening Michigan’s first on-site brew pub in Kalamazoo in 1993, opening its Comstock brewery in 2003, and expanding the Eccentric Café in 2015. Today, Kalamazoo County is number one in the state of Michigan in the production of craft beer, and Bell’s is one of Michigan’s most famous brands.
While many K-treks venture out on multi-day experiences in cities such as San Francisco, New York City and Chicago, there are plenty of industries to explore in K’s backyard. Along with Bell’s, local K-Treks have included trips to Kellogg’s in Battle Creek, Stryker in Kalamazoo and Steelcase in Grand Rapids. Wood said other local K-Treks are being planned and students should stay tuned to find out where they will go. Learn more about K-Treks events such as K to Bell’s at our website.
Kalamazoo College alumnus Peter Rothstein ’14 is celebrating his selection in the 2019 edition of 30 Under 30, Forbes’ annual list of 600 young visionaries from 20 industries.
Rothstein, originally from West Bloomfield, Michigan, is the director of operations for Brooklyn, New York-based Dona Chai. He and his sister, Amy, founded the company, crafting tea concentrates and sodas brewed with spices from around the world. Its products are available at independent coffee shops and Whole Foods stores, mostly on the East and West Coast.
Peter Rothstein ’14 and his sister, Amy, were included in the 2019 edition of 30 Under 30, Forbes’ annual list of 600 young visionaries from 20 industries. The pair founded the company Dona Chai.
Tea leaves couldn’t have predicted a coffee-shop-inspired success for Rothstein after he graduated from K with a business degree. Rothstein admitted he doesn’t care for coffee and the last time he had any was years ago.
“And that was when I tried a decaf cappuccino with sugar packets and more sugar packets,” he said. However, in 2014, “Amy was attending New York University when she noticed a trend toward better coffee. People wanted higher quality and better baked goods, but people were still using big brand names.”
Armed with ideas and some encouragement from their dad, who is a venture capitalist, the pair created Dona Chai. Today, the company’s masala chai and turmeric tea concentrates are mixed with milk and served hot. Its soda flavors include Juniper Lime Spice, Turmeric Honeybush and Pink Peppercorn.
“There was a lot of learning and trial and error for us at first,” Rothstein said. “It took about two years for us to realize we would be successful.”
At that point, Dona Chai products started getting sold at Whole Foods locations, and the company eclipsed $600,000 in revenue after developing trade-show popularity.
“Even then it still took a couple of months,” Rothstein said, adding that selling a new tea in a retail location requires customers to change something about their morning routine for the product to draw demand. “It took working with customers and baristas. But after that, we saw inventory turn rapidly, and we realized we would be successful.”
When Rothstein reflects on his success, he credits K, the liberal arts and the K-Plan, Kalamazoo College’s distinctive approach to the liberal arts and sciences, for teaching him to think differently and solve problems. Rothstein added a corporate finance course, led by Associate Professor of Economics and Business Tim Moffit ’80, was among his favorites at K.
Although he had first attended Johns Hopkins, Rothstein quickly learned he wanted a different experience, and meeting Kalamazoo College men’s tennis coach Mark Riley convinced him to switch schools.
Riley is “the type of guy who can put his arm around you and nurture you, or he can push you beyond what you think you can do,” said Rothstein, who competed in tennis and studied abroad in Aberdeen, Scotland, in his years at K. “Once I got to K I realized it had a lot of Mark Rileys. That included everyone from my professors to the general staff, to the trainers, to the Registrar’s Office and others. I can’t thank Kalamazoo College enough.”
Read more about Rothstein, his sister, Dona Chai and others honored in the 30 Under 30 Food and Drink category at Forbes’ website.
Kalamazoo College students are about to have more options for externships, providing them with valuable experience applicable toward their chosen professions.
Rachel Wasserman ’20 (from left), Juan Avila ’19 and Yasamin Shaker ’20 participated in a Discovery Externship with host Becky Warner ’04 at Full Tilth Farm in Poulsbo, Washington.
An externship is a short-term job-shadowing experience that works like an apprenticeship, giving a training program through a brief yet practical experience. K’s traditional externships have paired more than 700 students with alumni who provide a homestay and a work opportunity.
Such options will remain available. And starting next summer, K also will offer local and do-it-yourself (DIY) externships. Local externships will encourage students to apply for experiences in their hometown. DIY externships will encourage students to use an online networking application through the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) to work directly with K alumni in creating an externship of their own design.
“Our goal is to provide more flexibility, so we can broaden alumni participation and student opportunities,” CCPD Assistant Director Richard Sylvester said. With these experiences, “we seek to better meet the needs of current K students as they prepare for a rapidly changing job market.”
Past opportunities traditionally have varied in character and geography. They have included:
helping at a community kitchen and farmer’s market in Chelsea, Michigan;
working with children on the autism spectrum at Daily Behavioral Health in Cleveland, Ohio; and
getting up close with octopi in the crystal waters of the Caribbean for the Northeastern University Marine Science Center.
In many cases, externships such as these have lasting effects on how students approach their careers. That’s because they serve as real-life applications of majors and give students a head-start on their networking despite shorter time commitments.
“By providing three tracks, we hope to offer a wider slate of externships and allow students to secure the externships that are best suited for them as they begin to explore the world of work,” Sylvester said.
The CCPD is currently seeking alumni professionals interested in hosting student externs in summer 2019. “By the time we launch to students in January, we hope to have dozens of new alumni lined up as workplace and homestay hosts,” says Sylvester, who encourages interested alumni to contact him directly at richard.sylvester@kzoo.edu.
For more information on externships and how to apply for them, visit the CCPD in Dewing Hall, go to its website or call 269.337.7183.
When Kalamazoo College students network, there’s no place like home. Seventeen Kalamazoo College students took advantage of a fall break day to network with professionals at Steelcase, a company local to southwest Michigan, in Grand Rapids.
K to Steelcase was the latest K-Trek offering from the Center for Career and Professional Development. K-Treks involve in-person, immersive discussions K students have with leaders in various industries. Many of the leaders are K alumni.
Steelcase provides architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed for office environments in the education, health care and retail industries. The trip was the latest K-Trek offering from the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD). K-Treks involve in-person, immersive discussions K students have with leaders in various industries. Many of the leaders are K alumni.
“When students think of their K network they often think of connections across the country and abroad, but they should also think about their network closer to campus,” said Richard Sylvester, the CCPD assistant director of experiential opportunities.
Some K-Treks are multi-day experiences in cities such as San Francisco, New York City and Chicago, and there are plans for K-Treks to Washington, D.C., and Detroit. This K-Trek, however, was about thinking locally through a one-day trip. And networking in southwest Michigan provides a distinct advantage to students looking for an internship now or local job openings when they graduate.
Other local K-Treks have included K to Stryker and K to Kellogg’s, and a K to Bell’s Brewery trip is scheduled. The Bell’s tour will be Feb. 8, 2019—a break day in the winter term—and will cover careers in business and science.
The event increased student awareness of a local employer, showed students how the company operates and opened students to the idea of interning at Steelcase in logistics, information technology, marketing, sales, project management, product development and engineering. Those internships can be 12-week summer opportunities or year-round posts. Some internships allow students to work remotely.
K to Steelcase included facility tours, a warm welcome and introduction to Steelcase from Director of Global Talent Management Isabelle Medellin, a panel discussion and lunch with the panelists. Sylvester said a participant survey is planned to help the CCPD measure the event’s success, although early anecdotal feedback indicates it was a day well spent.
“Students were engaged and insightful, and they showed they were interested in Steelcase and what it offers,” Sylvester said. “What more could you want when you otherwise have a break day?”
Learn more about K-Treks events such as K to Steelcase at our website.
